Elastic band u-shaped projectile launching device



Feb. 28, 1967 w. c. SPATARI 3,305,278

ELASTIC BAND USHAPED PROJECTILE LAUNCHING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 2, 1965 HIIIIIIII FIG. I?

INVENTOR.

- WILLIAM C. SPATARI AGENT Feb. 28, 1967 w. c. SPATARI 3,306,278

ELASTIC BAND U-SHAPED PROJECTILE LAUNCHING DEVICE Filed Dec. 2, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 ASSEMBLY INVENTOR.

WILLIAM C. SPATARI AGENT Feb. 28, 1967 w. c., SPATARI 3,306,278

ELASTIC BAND U-SHAPED PROJECTILE LAUNCHING DEVICE Filed Dec. 2, 1963 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

WILLIAM C. SPATARI AGENT United States Patent Gfiice 3,365,278 Patented Feb. 28, 1967 3 306,278 ELASTIC BAND Ill-SHAPED PROJECTILE LAUNCIIING DEVICE William C. Spatari, 184 N. Maple, Burbank, Calif. 91505 Filed Dec. 2, 1963, Ser. No. 327,321 2 Claims. (Cl. 124-22) This invention relates to devices for the launching of arrows and other projectiles and more particularly to novel arrow launching and sling shot projectile launching devices for sporting, hunting or guerrilla warfare applications.

The sling shot and the bow and arrow are among the oldest of mans weapons. Although there have been many varieties of arrow launch weapons from the primitive bow and arrow to the medieval cross-bow, the sling shot has remained more or less like its primitive original even to this day.

There has not been any thought given, throughout the centuries of use of these two primitive weapons, to their joint or combined features being incorporated in a single weapon in which the fire power of the bow and arrow may be joined with the compactness and simplicity of the sling shot type of weapon.

In guerrilla warfare there is a need for a compact silent easily-carried close weapon which permits stealth of approach and effectiveness as a weapon for silent removal of enemy sentries and similar operations, in locations Where individuals must operate more or less singlehandedly against such enemy personnel.

This invention contemplates just such weapons as above suggested which combines the effectiveness of the bow and arrow and simplicity and compactness of the sling shot and which additionally may be used either in an arrow launching mode or sling shot mode.

As contemplated in this invention the weapon consists of a frame support for resilient tubes or hands of materials such as surgical rubber which are held to the support by the oriental finger grip technique, pulling or launching grip and a means for supporting arrows, if arrows are to be used as missiles to be launched with the invention, or, alternatively the frame may be rotated to permit its use in a sling shot mode for the projection of pellets, armed or barbed staples or other similar devices.

As contemplated in this invention various embodiments thereof are conceived in which either a military guerrilla warefare weapon may be derived therefrom or a hunting weapon, or simply a sporting weapon for target practice. Other embodiments are conceived as toys for the projecting of rubber or plastic balls or rubber suction tipped arrows.

The novel features of the invention involve a frame support structure for the resilient launching means which has a novel arm brace in one form thereof and which can be operated in an upright form as a U of the sling shot support type, as a side apertured C frame in which arrows may be launched and which has arrow supporting guide means, or as either in the one device.

In the toy form as contemplated herein means are provided for storage of the suction cup arrows and soft rubber or plastic ball ammunition in the handle of the toy.

Accordingly it is an object of this invention to provide a novel combined arrow and missile launching weapon or sporting device.

It is another object of this invention to provide a novel projectile ejecting device having strong resilient means for the ejection thereof.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a close, silent, and effective guerrilla warfare weapon which can be used in an arrow shooting or sling shot mode.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a missile launching means which can provide usefulness as either a sporting device for target practice or as a toy.

It is an even further object of the invention to provide in a combined arrow ejecting or sling shot toy a storage means for the toy arrows and other projectiles used therewith.

These and other objects of the invention Will become more clear from the specification which follows and the appended claims taken together with the drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 shows an embodiment of this invention in the form of an arrow launcher;

FIGURE 2 is a partially exploded view of the frame assembly of the arrow launcher shown in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 3 is a view of an enlarged portion of the frame shown in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 forms a part of FIGURE 2, showing the handle thereof;

FIGURE 5 is a top view of a part of the article shown in FIGURE 1 and detailed at 5-5 in FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a detail of a portion of the article shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 7 is a view of an embodiment of the invention showing its use as a sling shot and including in phantom a part thereof articulated into another position to show its use as an arrow launching frame;

FIGURE 8 shows a detail of the assembly of the launcher of FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 9 is a view of an alternative grip configuration usable with the articles of FIGURES 1 and 7;

FIGURE 10 shows a form of missile for use with the article shown in FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 11 shows another form of missile for use with the article of FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 12 shows still another form of missile which can be used with the article of FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 13 is a partially cutaway view of an embodiment of this invention usable as a toy employing ball pellets or suction cup arrows;

FIGURE 14 is a detail of the arrow storage end of the article shown in FIGURE 13;

FIGURE 15 is a cross section through 1515 of FIG- URE 14;

FIGURE 16 is a partially cutaway view of a further embodiment of the invention showing the nesting of frames for increased power in the launchers hereof;

FIGURE 17 is a detail through 17-17 of FIGURE 16;

FIGURE 18 shows another embodiment of the invention in partially cutaway form; and

FIGURE 19 shows a detail partially in cross section of another form of grip for use with the invention.

In FIGURE 1 there is shown an embodiment of the missile launchers of this invention as used for the dispatch of arrows. Considering FIGURES 1 through 6 together the launcher 10 is held by its hand grip 11 with the arm 12 outstretched and hand 13 gripping hand grip 11 tightly. Hand grip 11 is formed with external finger grooves such as 14 so that finger 15 may have a non-slip hold upon hand grip or handle 11. Handle 11 is provided with a central aperture 18. A support frame 16 is formed from a single piece of round rod stock and bent into a shape similar in form to a coping saw frame. At 16a the handle portion of the frame is formed into a tight U which is fitted into the central aperture 18 of handle or grip 11. An arm brace 17 is atriculatingly hung on the bend portion 16a of the U. Arm brace 17 may have a snap clip at 19 to permit looping there of over the bend in handle frame 16 at 16a, after handle 11 is fitted thereover. A leather or plastic gasket 5 fits over frame 1611 on top of grip 11. A thick walled resilient tubing 8 is fitted over verticle frame portion 16 by forcing it around bend 160 at the top thereof to provide a lower shock absorber for an arrow such as 3233 as it is launched from the missile launcher used as an arrow launcher as shown in FIGURE 1. An arrow rest 7 sits on top of rubber shock absorber 8 while an upper shock absorber 21 is fitted over frame 16 just below bend 16c. When an arrow such as 32, 33, 39 is launched the feathered end will pass between rest 7 and rubber shock absorber 21. The shock of the launch being taken up by rubber or other resilient material forming shock absorbers 8 and 21. Surgical rubber tubing 22, 23 or similar resilient tubing material is fitted to frame 16 at 34 and 35 being forced over the frame at 16b and 160 very tightly and holding thereto by an action similar to the oriental finger grip. Any pull in the direction of arrows shown at 4141 in FIGURE 1 will serve only to tighten the assembly of tubing 22, 23 on frame 16 at 16b and 160. Two pieces of metallic tubing 24 and 25 are fitted over a piano wire bent in a broad U shape as at 26 form the arrow nock of the arrow launcher. The end 36 of tubing 22 and the end 31 of tubing 23 are fitted, respectively, over the free ends of metallic tubings 24 and 25, respectively, in the oriental finger grip fashion as shown at 36 and 31 respectively in FIGURE 1.

When used, although shown here with the right arm at 12 and the right hand at 13, the left arm may be held in the arm brace 17 equally well, and so used the left hand will grip handle 11. In any case the other hand 40 not in the arm brace and not holding grip 11 will be free to pull on nock 24, 25, 26 with arrow 32, 33, 39 resting on arrow rest 7 by its shaft 33 and with its feathered end 39 in nook 24, 25, 26. So doing resilient tubings 23, 22 are stretched and when released, arrow 32, 33, 39 will be projected with great force in the direction of its tip 32.

In FIGURE 16 a double frame 16, 16' with ends 16b, 16b and 16c, 16c are shown with resilient tubings 22, 22' and 23, 23. Frames 16, 16 which may be nested together in handle 18 as shown in FIGURE 16 and the dual resilient tubings 22, 22' and 23, 23' may be connected to ends 16b, 16b and 160, 160 in the same manner as shown for a single assembly in FIGURE 1 to provide twice the fire power in the use of frame 16-16 as above described as could be obtained with the single frame 16 alone.

The embodiment of this invention shown in FIGURE 7 is one in which both sling shot action may be effected and arrow launching as well. As illustrated in FIGURE 7 in solid line, the sling shot form is shown. Handle 11 has inserted therein a frame 50 similar in concept to frame 16 previously described. The folded over portion of frame 50 as shown at 50a is inserted into handle 11 which has finger gripping surfaces 14 as in the previously shown handle 11 in FIGURES 1 and 4. Frame 50 bends around 50b to form a U with frame portions 61 and 51. Items 7 and 8 shown on frame portion 61 are an arrow rest and shock absorber like that shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, but are used only in the arrow launching mode of the article illustrated in FIGURE 7. A leather gasket like that of FIGURE 1 is slipped over frame 50 at the folded over portion 50a in the same manner as shown in FIGURE 1. The ends of frame 50 shown at 54 and 55 support leather anchors 63, 64 in which gum rubber bands 60, 62 are laced as may be seen at 59 and in details shown in FIGURE 8. The anchor 63 has been cutaway as shown with part 56 to reveal the detailed structure, partially in exploded form, of the assembly of the anchors and washers such as 57 and 58 and rubber or plactic locking tubes by which the anchors are assembled to frame 50, 52, 61, 55, 54. The portion 61 of frame 50 forms the bottom of the throat of the sling shot illustrated in FIGURE 7 in solid line.

If frame 50 and handle 11 as shown in FIGURE 7 are rotated about the axis formed by parts 54-55 of frame 50 in the direction indicated by arrow 69 for an angle it may be seen that throat bottom 61 becomes an arrow support on which disc 7 and arrow guide and shock ab sorber 8 perform the same function in FIGURES 1 and 2. Anchors 63, 64 perform their same function to support elastic bands 60-63 and an arrow nook or missile pouch may be formed at 65 and attached to elastic bands 60, 62. Alternatively instead of elastic bands such as 60, 62 an assembly of the type shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 may be used employing surgical rubber tubing such as 22, 23 and its accessories such as nock 24, 25, 26, 37, or the rubber tubing 22, 23 with a pouch such as 65.

In FIGURES 10, 11 and 12 several staple types of mis siles are shown such as 70, 76 or 81. These are repre sentative of the kinds of projectiles that can be used with the article of FIGURE 7 in its sling shot mode as weapons for silent disposition of animals, when hunting, or for a wartime use against enemy personnel.

In FIGURE 9 a rectangular handle 90 is shown as one alternative form thereof to give solid gripping action par ticularly when using the articles in military combat situa tions. Handle 90 is equipped with finger grip depres= sions 14 as with handles previously disclosed herein; The particular shape of handle 90 has been conceived so that when used in the dark the article such as shown in FIG.- 7 can be handled easily so that by the tactile sensation of the fingers in grooves 14 with respect to the generally rec tangular edges 92, 93, the user can know for which mode of use the device is being held. For example with the fingers gripped about handle 90 held in the left or right hand the grooves 14 when felt inside the second joint knuckles will suffice to indicate that the article is being held in arrow launch mode, that is when throat bar 61 of frame 50 is in position X of FIGURE 7 shown in dashed line. When the relatively sharp edge 92 is felt behind these second joint knuckles then the user will know that throat bar 61 is in the position shown in solid line in FIGURE 7. The latter is the sling-shot mode;

A toy version of the device for launching missiles isshown in a partically cutaway illustration in FIGURE 13; The U-shaped frame 100 has a handle 95 extending outwardly therefrom in the same plane as the U and normal thereto. Handle 95 continues from an upright 106 of the U 100. The other upright of the U is at 105. The base 113 of the U 100 has portions 103 and 104. The portion of 104 of the base 113 is somewhat smaller in dimensions than the portion 103. The transition 112 be tween the portions 103 and 104 when said launcher is used for arrows acts as an arrow shaft rest.

The handle 95 has an aperture 114 in it within which is inserted a resilient contoured surface pad0r the ham dle itself may have resilient walls 115 in the aperture 114.- Within the aperture 114 pellets or balls may be stored.

As has been previously mentioned in connection with the other embodiments of this missile launching device it may be used either to launch arrows or to launch missiles in a sling shot fashion. As an arrow launcher frame 100 would be oriented in the same plane as its resilient bands 117 and 118 which are fastened to knobs 107 and 108 respectively in the inner surfaces of the U 100. The other ends of bands 117-118 are connected to a pouch 116. Missiles are stored in the handle 95 of frame 100 for use in the sling shot mode in which frame 100 is used in the orientation illustrated in FIGURE 13 where the frame 100 and resilient bands 117-118 and pouch 116 are used at right angles to one another.

The pellet receptacle 114 may be seen in further cross sectional detail in FIGURE 15. In FIGURE 14 are illustrated additional details of the end extension 96 of handle 95 which has a plurality of slots 101 cut vertically in the end surface of extension 96 to hold the shafts 97 of arrows 98. The inner areas of slots 101 are rounded to fit shafts 97 and by virtue of slots 99 therein tend to hold arrow shaft 97 tightly. The slot 99 permits holes 101 to be made smaller in diameter than shafts 97 so that the shafts 97 are resiliently held in place by the urge of the slot edges 99 to close to the normal diameter.

In FIGURES 18 and 19 there are shown some details of a sporting version of the device for launching arrows or pellets. The frame of bent wire 126, 121a, 121 has a straight shaft section 121 continuing out from handle 120 which fits over the bent Wire 121a-126. A ball 123 serves the purpose of an arrow rest and is shown with an arrow 97, 98 of the type used in the toy of FIGURE 13.

Resilient tubing 22, 23 is attached to frame rod 121 in the generally similar manner to that shown in FIGURE 1. The tubing 22, 23 is connected as shown at 34 and 35 to hooks 124 and 122. The ends not shown would be connected to either the pouch of the type 65 shown in FIGURE 7 or arrow nock 24-25-26 shown in FIGURE 1. The Chinese finger pull type of holder at 34-35 for the surgical tubing 2223 may also be used here.

The single shaft version is shown in another form in FIGURE 19. The handle 130 here is solid and threaded to receive a screw thread end 131a of a rod 131 acting exactly as rod 121 to hold an arrow rest 8. Not shown but obviously arrangeable in the same manner as shown in FIGURE 18 are the resilient members 22 and 23, which would have either pouch 65 or nock 24, 25, 26, The launcher of FIGURE 18 or 19 is held horizontally in use.

It may be seen that there have been described above a number of embodiments of a device for launching missiles or pellets or ammunition of the staple 0r slug variety.

As an arrow launch-er two forms are described one for standard arrows of the feathered end type and another for a toy type which has rubber suction cut tips such as shown at 98. Any of the devices described may be assem'bled from any combination of the elements described hereinabove which perform the respective functions. These functions are as a frame support, resilient release or launch means, shock absorbing rest or the like. The frame may be U-shaped or a straight rod. It may be a unitary wire frame item as in FIGS. 1, 7 and 13 or it may be a solid molded item as in FIGURE 13. The handle may be integral or fitted over wire frame parts. There are many combinations by which the invention may be implemented and many are shown herein. It should be clear in the light of these teachings that others skilled in this art may find additional ways and the additional ways may fall within the ambit of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is:

1. A multiple resilient iban-d missile launching device comprising a frame support having a generally rectangular U-shape including a pair of space-d apart parallel members, a member forming the base of the U-shaped frame support and connecting the said parallel members, a handle of predetermined shape attached to a right angle integral extension of one parallel member which extends outwardly from the -U-shaped support and is co -extensive with the plane passing through the parallel members, a pair of elastic bands, said right angle extension being turned back on itself and extending the length of the handle and having an end portion which provides a connection means for one of said elastic bands, an interconnecting pounch joining the elastic bands, the free end of the remaining elastic band being connected to the end of the other of the parallel members, an S- shaped brace having one end connected to the end of the handle and positionably spiralling around the users forearm, a shock absorbing arrow support means positioned on the member forming the base of the U-support, whereby when the frame support is positioned so that the plane of the U-su-pport is horizontal, the arrow support means will support one end of an arrow while the feathered end of the arrow will be positioned in the pouch, said frame support being positionable so that the U-support is vertical thus forming an opening between the parallel members whereby pellets may be fired.

2. A plural purpose manually held resilient band missile launching frame comprising:

a generally U-shaped supporting frame having a pair of spaced apart parallel members, a member forming the base of the U-shaped frame and connecting the said parallel members, an integral extension norinal to one of said parallel members,

a generally rectangular handle having finger contour corrugations in the surface, said handle being fixedly fastened to the normal extension to one of the said parallel members and lying in a plane co-extensive with that of the U-supporting frame,

an arm brace articulatingly coupled to the end of said handle farthest from said U-supporting frame, said brace having a generally S-shaped configuration so as to spiral about the holders arm when holding said handle, said U-shaped supporting frame being formed from a single wire, said extension being bent outwardly in the same general direction as the line of said base and bent back upon itself to form a rev ceiving support for said handle and said handle being slipped thereover, the bent back portion of said extension projecting beyond said handle and having said arm brace connected thereto.

References Cited by the Examiner RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner. W. R. BROWNE, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A MULTIPLE RESILIENT BAND MISSILE LAUNCHING DEVICE COMPRISING A FRAME SUPPORT HAVING A GENERALLY RECTANGULAR U-SHAPE INCLUDING A PAIR OF SPACED APART PARALLEL MEMBERS, A MEMBER FORMING THE BASE OF THE U-SHAPED FRAME SUPPORT AND CONNECTING THE SAID PARALLEL MEMBERS, A HANDLE OF PREDETERMINED SHAPE ATTACHED TO A RIGHT ANGLE INTEGRAL EXTENSION OF ONE PARALLEL MEMBER WHICH EXTENDS OUTWARDLY FROM THE U-SHAPED SUPPORT AND IS CO-EXTENSIVE WITH THE PLANE PASSING THROUGH THE PARALLEL MEMBERS, A PAIR OF ELASTIC BANDS, SAID RIGHT ANGLE EXTENSION BEING TURNED BACK ON ITSELF AND EXTENDING THE LENGTH OF THE HANDLE AND HAVING AN END PORTION WHICH PROVIDES A CONNECTION MEANS FOR ONE OF SAID ELASTIC BANDS, THE FREE INTERCONNECTING POUNCH JOINING THE ELASTIC BANDS, THE FREE END OF THE REMAINING ELASTIC BAND BEING CONNECTED TO THE END OF THE OTHER OF THE PARALLEL MEMBERS, AN SSHAPED BRACE HAVING ONE END CONNECTED TO THE END OF THE HANDLE AND POSITIONABLY SPIRALLING AROUND THE USER''S FOREARM, A SHOCK ABSORBING ARROW SUPPORT MEANS POSITIONED ON THE MEMBER FORMING THE BASE OF THE U-SUPPORT, WHEREBY WHEN THE FRAME SUPPORT IS POSITIONED SO THAT THE PLANE OF THE U-SUPPORT IS HORIZONTAL, THE ARROW SUPPORT MEANS WILL SUPPORT ONE END OF AN ARROW WHILE THE FEATHERED END OF THE ARROW WILL BE POSITIONED IN THE POUCH, SAID FRAME SUPPORT BEING POSITIONABLE SO THAT THE U-SUPPORT IS VERTICAL THUS FORMING AN OPENING BETWEEN THE PARALLEL MEMBERS WHEREBY PELLETS MAY BE FIRED. 